Difficult assignments are nothing new to the Hardy boys and this one that takes them to the Deep South is particularly challenging. Their mision: to vindicate a long-dead Confederate general, disgraced during the Civil War because he was accused of stealing hidden gold belonging to a bank. In a museum exhibiting relics of the Civil War, the brother sleuths find a puzzling clue that may help to clear the general's name and pinpoint the location of the hidden gold. But a dangerous criminal and his cohorts are out to steal the treasure and constantly harass Frank and Joe and their pal Chet Morton. Skillfully avoiding booby traps and flying bullets, the boys perserve in their perilous quest. The arduous search is full of surprises that will thrill all fans of the Hardy Boys.